Neuroplasticity

Question 1

What is neuroplasticity?

Answer 1

The brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections. It allows neurons in the brain to compensate for injury or to respond to changes in the environment.

Question 2

Outline the process of neuroplasticity

Answer 2

• Neurons fire continually as a result of stimulation in environment
• Neurons sprout new dendrites (dendritic branching)
• Increases number of synapses available for behaviour
• When a synapse is under-stimulated it may go through synaptic pruning
• Believed that this is how the brain removes synapses that are no longer needed
• Makes the functioning of neural networks more efficient

Question 3

Apoptosis

Answer 3

Neuronal cell death.

Question 4

Cortical remapping

Answer 4

When one area of the brain assumes the functions of another part of the brain which has been damaged.

Question 5

Neurogenesis

Answer 5

The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain.

Question 6

Neural network

Answer 6

The human brain consists of neurons or nerve cells that transmit the information received from our senses. Many such nerve cells are arranged together in our brain to form a network of neurons. These neurons pass electrical impulses from one neuron to another.

Question 7

Synaptic pruning

Answer 7

Also known as neuronal pruning, this is a natural process where the brain eliminates extra synapses. Synaptic pruning is thought to be the brain’s way of removing connections that are no longer needed.

Question 8

Outline strengths of neuroplasticity.

Answer 8

• Gives broad explanation for phenomena in the brain
• Holistic - talks about the brain as a whole compared to for example NT’s which are limited to chemicals influencing behaviour
• Can be observed at mutiple scales (microscopic changes in individual neurons to larger scale changes e.g. cortical remapping) responding to injury

Question 9

Outline limitations of neuroplasticity.

Answer 9

• Unclear how the processes actually work (such as LTP, dendritic branching etc.)
• Further investigation is required to identify the functional and neural mechanisms that relate to cognitive and behavioural changes in humans.
• Behaviour in the brain cannot be observed ‘live’
• Generally correlational research, with low internal validity; not possible to control for extraneous variables
• Difficult to generalise animal research to humans as level of cognitive complexity differs between people and animals